16th December 2007
A few thoughts that are slowly coming together to make a coherent response (it takes a while for chaos to gel into coherence in my brain):
First, I will get a copy of this book and check out its recommendations.
Second, to translate Addprogrammer's computer terminology for non-nerdy types:
defragging the memory is a computer term that means to instruct the computer to reorganize itself by gathering all the bits together so that topics that belong together are physically near each other on the hard drive. It speeds up the computer processing time because the computer doesn't have to look all over the place to find info to work on a task. This means for us "wetware" types (with soft soggy brain tissue instead of hard computer memories) finding some way to make lists or otherwise organize all our bits of information so that we aren't wasting so much time simply looking for stuff -- we have a central place to put info so that we can go straight there to remind ourselves what we should be doing next.
RAM is random-access-memory, which is the working memory of the computer. This is the activities that the computer is currently is running -- things which are subject to change, such as updating the time, or refreshing our screens, or writing out some text in a word processor or here on Health Boards. This means for us "wetware" types that we need to keep lots of lists handy for all the things that we want to accomplish, but those lists keep changing all the time -- because we just thought of another step to insert into the middle of the list or because we have actually completed something on the list (yay!) or because something has come up and we need to re-prioritize the list.
What is easy for a computer to do (because some very nice and very talented computer-nerdy-people have written programs to keep our computers running in a helpful and intelligent manner :) ) is not so easy for those of us with ADD. When ADDprogrammer says that we can't keep anything in "RAM", he means that we can't keep a list longer than two items in our brains (and two is even too much on some days), without something falling off the list and then we forget what we were supposed to do, or we get so confused by too many options that we can't possible prioritize anything because that requires that we have to look at several things at once in order to decide which one makes sense to do next but we can't keep all those things in our memory together at the same time long enough to look at them and aaaahhhh! the whole house of cards falls down and we just sit in front of the computer and space out with surfing or computer games because life is too hard and chaotic.
All the things that Nexis is describing sound to me like things that are worth looking at. As I said, I will get the book and see what it has to suggest. I also am glad that I have access to generic Ritalin. Implementing those suggestions would be extremely difficult for me without my meds. About 3 or 4 years ago, before I had access to meds, I had a friend come into my workroom (dedicated to projects such as sewing and painting and other crafts) to help me to organize it. She was a bit out of it that day with a case of the flu or something, but even in her weakened state she was able to direct me to organize things into labeled boxes and areas with one brain tied behind her back so-to-speak. I just followed her directions and was amazed at how easy it appeared to her. The workroom today is still more or less functional, although it could use a bit of "defragging" (see definition above) so that I can again find some of the stuff more easily.
You are right, Nexis, that therapists are not being helpful by saying that you just need to structure your life. What is easy and common-sensical for them is a total mystery for us. We need not only specific tips, but real help in implementing those tips. I'll check out the book, but I reserve the right to bring in my friend again to help implement some of the ideas in it.
--Rheanna
First, I will get a copy of this book and check out its recommendations.
Second, to translate Addprogrammer's computer terminology for non-nerdy types:
defragging the memory is a computer term that means to instruct the computer to reorganize itself by gathering all the bits together so that topics that belong together are physically near each other on the hard drive. It speeds up the computer processing time because the computer doesn't have to look all over the place to find info to work on a task. This means for us "wetware" types (with soft soggy brain tissue instead of hard computer memories) finding some way to make lists or otherwise organize all our bits of information so that we aren't wasting so much time simply looking for stuff -- we have a central place to put info so that we can go straight there to remind ourselves what we should be doing next.
RAM is random-access-memory, which is the working memory of the computer. This is the activities that the computer is currently is running -- things which are subject to change, such as updating the time, or refreshing our screens, or writing out some text in a word processor or here on Health Boards. This means for us "wetware" types that we need to keep lots of lists handy for all the things that we want to accomplish, but those lists keep changing all the time -- because we just thought of another step to insert into the middle of the list or because we have actually completed something on the list (yay!) or because something has come up and we need to re-prioritize the list.
What is easy for a computer to do (because some very nice and very talented computer-nerdy-people have written programs to keep our computers running in a helpful and intelligent manner :) ) is not so easy for those of us with ADD. When ADDprogrammer says that we can't keep anything in "RAM", he means that we can't keep a list longer than two items in our brains (and two is even too much on some days), without something falling off the list and then we forget what we were supposed to do, or we get so confused by too many options that we can't possible prioritize anything because that requires that we have to look at several things at once in order to decide which one makes sense to do next but we can't keep all those things in our memory together at the same time long enough to look at them and aaaahhhh! the whole house of cards falls down and we just sit in front of the computer and space out with surfing or computer games because life is too hard and chaotic.
All the things that Nexis is describing sound to me like things that are worth looking at. As I said, I will get the book and see what it has to suggest. I also am glad that I have access to generic Ritalin. Implementing those suggestions would be extremely difficult for me without my meds. About 3 or 4 years ago, before I had access to meds, I had a friend come into my workroom (dedicated to projects such as sewing and painting and other crafts) to help me to organize it. She was a bit out of it that day with a case of the flu or something, but even in her weakened state she was able to direct me to organize things into labeled boxes and areas with one brain tied behind her back so-to-speak. I just followed her directions and was amazed at how easy it appeared to her. The workroom today is still more or less functional, although it could use a bit of "defragging" (see definition above) so that I can again find some of the stuff more easily.
You are right, Nexis, that therapists are not being helpful by saying that you just need to structure your life. What is easy and common-sensical for them is a total mystery for us. We need not only specific tips, but real help in implementing those tips. I'll check out the book, but I reserve the right to bring in my friend again to help implement some of the ideas in it.
--Rheanna